With this being a non-assessment year, only three hearings took place this week before Cole County's Board of Equalization.
Of those cases, one involved the assessor's office reaching a stipulation of value with F&F Development, owners of the old St. Mary's Hospital property in Jefferson City.
Initially the certified value of the property was just more than $2 million with an assessed value of more than $641,000.
The owners argued the property no longer generates an income since the hospital moved to its new location. According to documents supplied to the assessor's office, the deal to sell the property between F&F and St. Mary's calls for the property not to be used for a hospital or medical facility, although it's best suited for that over any other use. F&F officials also noted tearing down the facility and removing harmful materials, such as asbestos, would cost more than $3.4 million.
The board voted to accept the stipulation reached, which was a certified value of $1 million with an assessed value of $320,000.
It is in the county's best interest to do this, Assessor Chris Estes said, because it probably would have cost the county $20,000-$30,000 to litigate the matter.
Estes also said the three other properties tied to the hospital, all parking lots across from the facility on Missouri Boulevard, were assessed at $300,000, and those were not disputed by F&F.
In other action, the board also voted to continue to keep the current assessed value of properties owned by Ameren Missouri in Cole County.
This action has continued since 2013, when Ameren argued for lower assessments here and across the state. Assessors across the state have argued if Ameren were allowed to lower its assessments as sought, it would for raising levies in school districts and other taxing districts to cover the loss in funds.
Estes said for Cole County the loss would be approximately $600,000 each year. He also said they are still waiting for Circuit Judge Jon Beetem to rule in a case about the Ameren Missouri property values, after hearing arguments in the case in June.
The equalization board is composed of the three county commissioners and two at-large members who are in real estate, banking or construction. If a property is inside the Jefferson City limits, then two members of the city staff sit in on the hearing as well.
They all vote on evidence presented with a simple majority deciding an issue.
The county clerk and assessor are also on the board but don't vote.
Those who want to continue the appeals process can take their case to the state Tax Commission and, if they're still unhappy, through the courts all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court.
"All properties are reviewed," Estes said. "We have computers run programs looking at a number of factors, and then have appraisers check to make sure those figures are accurate.
"Every day we review properties."